Humanitarian Aid & Development
- Location:
Madagascar (Anosivolo Village, Ambalahosy Nord Commune, Vatovavy Region) - Sponsor:
Antoine Bonnet - Grant:
4 729 € requested under the 2026 Student Solidarity Award
Project Leader
In the Vatovavy region of southeastern Madagascar, nearly 70% of municipalities suffer from a total lack of piped water networks. To get water, Anosivolo residents previously walked over a kilometer to fetch untreated river water, regularly exposing children to severe waterborne diseases.
Driven by the PEPSS association (Pour un Engagement dans des Projets Solidaires au Sud) from Chimie ParisTech (PSL), in close partnership with SOLIDAGO France and local NGO AGIR, the "Eau'bjectif MADA 2026" initiative delivers a sustainable, field-tested technical answer built on expertise dating back to 2007.
A complete gravity-fed network and rigorous scientific testing rigoureux
Following a series of bacteriological tests conducted on site, the student team validated a safe local water source. Funding from the Veolia Foundation directly supports the first phase of the project: building a water intake structure and a 17 $m^3$ storage tank in Anosivolo. This gravity-fed system will supply five public water kiosks, alongside a dedicated school tap and latrines. Concurrently, a separate student team carries out extensive chemical and bacteriological water quality testing to guarantee safe drinking standards.
A community-led management model to secure long-term operations
To counteract infrastructure failure rates often seen in the region, the project prioritizes sustainability and local ownership. The network's daily operations are completely handed over to a local water committee made up of villagers trained by PEPSS and AGIR. School hygiene awareness campaigns reinforce the infrastructure to embed solid sanitation practices. Local NGO AGIR conducts quarterly technical inspections, ensuring solid oversight over a three-year horizon.